Former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik's Statue Set Ablaze

A statue of former Odisha chief minister Biju Patnaik was on Tuesday set ablaze at Patnagarh town in Bolangir district, police said.

Apart from BJD, CPI and other Left parties, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi also condemned the incident.

"This can only be the handiwork of some lowly person, perhaps suffering from some mental illness," Majhi said, adding that he has directed police to take stern action against persons involved in this incident and expose if there is any conspiracy behind it.

The chief minister said that one person has so far been arrested. He said the state government recognises the contributions of Biju Patnaik and gives due respect to all legendary figures, who made significant contributions to nation building.

Majhi in a statement also mentioned that his government recently held a state-level function in memory of Biju Patnaik on his birth anniversary on March 5..

"Biju Jayanti was celebrated with great enthusiasm and the government will also commemorate the legendary leader's death anniversary on April 17," the CM said.

The Biju Patnaik statue was set on fire early on Tuesday morning at Parshuram chhak of Patnagarh town. The statue was installed by former Patnagarh MLA Saroj Kumar Meher during the rule of the BJD government.

However, some people had opposed the installation of Biju Patnaik's statue at the place as the chhak is known as Parsuram chhak. They had demanded the installation of Lord Parsuram's statue instead of Biju Patnaik, an official said.

Members of the Brahmin Samaj had staged a dharna around one month ago and the matter later reached the Orissa High Court, which had ordered for covering of the statue in a polythene sheet.

Later, an official of the Notified Area Council (NAC), Patnagarh, said that it was amicably decided to install the statues of both Biju Patnaik and Lord Parsuram at the chhak.

IGP (North Range) Himansu Kumar Lal said one man has been detained in the statue burning case. The IGP said the man appeared to be mentally unstable.

BJD leaders held a peaceful demonstration near Biju Patnaik's statue in the airport area in Bhubaneswar and raised slogans against the ruling BJP.

Senior BJD leader Pramila Mallik criticised the state government for growing attacks on Biju Patnaik's statue in different places. "It is not only that the Biju Patnaik's statue was set on fire, but also setting Odisha's pride ablaze. No one will support this kind of vandalism," said former minister and BJD leader Prasanna Acharya.

BJD leader Sanjay Das Barma said such type of incidents is taking place after the state's BJP government stopped observing Panchayati Raj Day on Biju Patnaik's birthday on March 5.

In March, some people had vandalised a statue of Biju Patnaik in the Mahanga area of Cuttack district.

The colour of Biju Patnaik's statue was changed in Cuttack city last month. The Bolangir incident is the third such incident in the series, a BJD leader said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)